Creating the Enterprise Database

Administrator Role:Moving from Vision to Effective Practices

Deanna McMurray, Enterprise Database Administrator

Marina Arseniev, Director of Enterprise Architecture, Security, and Data Management Services

Administrative Computing Services

A Common Problem: Silo Specific DBA Groups

• Most IT organizations have silo specific database administration groups based on database platforms

– Oracle– Sybase– DB2– Microsoft SQL Server

Database administration is rarely considered part of the overallEnterprise Architecture strategy for cross-platform database

development and operations.

The Missing Role: An Enterprise DBA

• The absence of Enterprise-level coordination of product/ platform or application silo specific database administration groups = redundant and inconsistent database management

• This missing role of an Enterprise-level cross-DBA control point that is part of an Enterprise Architecture team results in a number of problems in the IT organization

Common Problems from this Missing Role:

• Inconsistent procedures across project team silos• Security oversights• Insufficient disaster recovery preparedness• Redundant data • Inadequate documentation • Lack of education in data management best practices• Highly trained DBAs not being optimally utilized across

the department since they report into silos• Experts are dedicated to single projects—problem!

Solution: Create an Enterprise DBA Role!

Benefits of an Enterprise-level DBA role:

• Shared common resource of competency

• Provides guidance to ensure consistent procedures are implemented cross database platforms and projects

• Reduces risks and costs

• Implements data management best practices in the IT organization

All Databases have a Common Set of Functions—Be Consistent!

Common Functions:

• Data Quality Management• Data Security Management• Database Management• Data Governance• Data Architecture, Analysis and Design

It is the job of the Enterprise DBA role to set up an Enterprise-wide consistent blueprint for database development and management

Implementing an Enterprise DBA Role:

Step 1—Become Educated in Data Management Best Practices

• I.T. Architects in Academia www.itana.org is currently focusing on Data Management — developing metrics to measure maturity of Data Management in an organization– ITANA is a Peer Group for I.T. Architects in Higher

Education sponsored by Educause and Internet2– Meeting later today at Educause

• Data Governance Institute www.datagovernance.com• Attend DAMA Data Management and Metadata Conference

Who is DAMA?

• DAMA -- Data Management Association International

• Not-for-profit, vendor-independent dedicated to advancing the concepts and practices of data resource management (DRM)

• Purpose -- to promote the understanding, development and practice of managing information and data as a key enterprise asset

DAMA DMBOK GUIDE Version3Data Management Body of

Knowledge• Providing a definitive introduction to data management• Presenting a standard industry view of data

management functions, terminology and best practices Estimated date of publication—March 2009

• Goals (from www.dama.org)– Build consensus for a generally applicable view of data

management functions

– Provide standard definitions for commonly used data management functions, deliverables, roles and terminology

– Overview commonly accepted good practices, widely adopted methods and techniques, and significant alternative approaches, without reference to specific technology vendors

– Define scope for Data Management

DAMA DMBOK Framework V310 Functions 100+ Activities

Document & Content

Management

Data Warehousing

& Business Intelligence

Management

Reference & Master Data Management

Data Security

Management

Data Development

Meta Data Management

Data Quality

Management

Data Architecture Management

Database Operations

ManagementData

Governance

Used with permission www.dama.org

DAMA DMBOK Framework Environmental Elements

Used with permission www.dama.org

Zachman Framework2 for Enterprise Architecture

Announced at DAMA• Product neutral - no product or consulting as with Meta

or Gartner• Used by Ford, Volkswagen, Firestone, GM, DOD, US

Treasury• Comprehensive, working model that aligns IT with

business by looking at pieces that fit into the whole of an enterprise puzzle

• Simple, logical model--not technical• A language that helps people think about complex

concepts and communicate in non-technical terminology

• A planning and problem solving tool that enables abstraction and simplification without neglecting the complexity of the Enterprise as a whole

Research Data Governance Best Practices

• Data Governance Institute, www.datagovernance.com, offers in depth vendor-neutral information

• Techniques, models, and best practices for data governance

• Data Governance and Stewardship “Community of Practice” to share information – nominal fee for membership, some information available at no cost

Step 2: Incorporate Data Management Best Practices into

your Strategic Plan• Educate your DBAs and Managers about the DAMA

Framework Functions – Address all functions during strategic plan

development

• Use ITANA Data Management Metrics — measure Data Management maturity– Think about: What areas of Data Management does

your organization need to improve in?

• Use the Zachman Framework2 as one of your guides for Enterprise Architecture

Step 3: Set up your Matrix Managed DBA Team

• One useful way -- implement your Enterprise DBA function using a matrix management style

• Important to oversee the consistency of procedures:– Security (protection of Personal Identity Data, PCI

and HIPAA data)– Disaster Recovery– Documentation– Service Level Agreements

Justify Creating an Enterprise DBA Role in your Organization

• Show the many organizational benefits!

• Keep metrics to demonstrate improvements

• Write “executive reports” showing the impact of your new Enterprise DBA role to high-level managers in your organization

Benefit #1: Consistent Procedures Across Platforms and Projects =

Reduced Problems and RisksBefore After

Transaction logs locations handled on an ad-hoc basis

Standardized locations for transaction log across systems

No Administrator password management procedures

Consistent Administrator password management procedures implemented

No standard account management across project teams – each team had its own way of implementing SQL Server accounts

Consistent account management in the SQL Server or Active Directory environment as appropriate.

Benefit #2: Consistent Development of

Service Level Agreements for Data Recovery with Customers

Before After

No Service Level Agreements for data recovery for our customers

Implemented Service Level Agreement for data recovery of customer applications hosted by Adcom Services• Sybase and MS-SQL Server• Example: 15+ applications for Human Resources• Recovery time based on High, Medium, Low Priority

Benefit #3: Improved Disaster Recovery Preparedness

Before After

No database point-in-time recovery in place

Implemented procedures for point-in-time recovery

Minimal testing of disaster recovery procedures

Regular (every 6 months) disaster recovery testing

Our offsite backup rotation left us with a potential 3 day window of data loss:

Friday 8am through Monday 8am

Enterprise level review showed this was an unacceptable level of risk. Added an additional pickup on Saturday morning to correct this problem.

Benefit #4: Significantly Improved Database Security

Before After

No one was running security tools to help detect and close security vulnerabilities on our database servers

Automated regular database vulnerability scanning using SCUBA (vendor: Imperva) and MBSA (Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer) and remediated vulnerabilities identified

Over 300 unaudited accounts on Sybase and Microsoft SQL Server

Audited and removed obsolete accounts

Benefit #5: Mapping the Flow of Secured Data

Before AfterIncomplete knowledge of sensitive data location and flow

Conduct regular data security and data flow reviews across UC Irvine departments• Documented outcomes in diagrams and text• Data security reviews reveal complexity of data management issues

How end users handle sensitive data produces points of risk: email, fax, unsecured file transfers, printing, cut and paste

California law protects key data elements

Benefit #6: Consistent Data Models and a Common Data

DictionaryBefore After

Each project had independent data modeling on an ad-hoc basis with no coordination or central management

Added a formal data design review as part of our SDLC •Eliminated silo-based data modeling and application development•Centrally coordinates data model development across project teams

Benefit #7: Cross Training and Staff Rotations Become Easier

Before After

No forum for communication or coordination for DBAs

Matrix managed DBA teams communicate & collaborate more frequently than silo-based DBA teams

No cross-training in place Cross-platform DBA control point oversees rotation of staff for proper coverage and cross-training

Narrow focus, reactive Common issues can be addressed in a broader way than silo-based teams

Lessons Learned from Implementing the Enterprise DBA

Role at UC Irvine

• Communication and collaboration are essential

• Recognize staff resource limitations

• Record metrics showing return on investment of creating this role

• Research best practices outside of your organization

Future Plans: Focus on Data Quality in 2009

• Example of challenges: Student Billing System contains data that originates from many different sources

• Problem: How do you improve the quality of the data when you are not the originator of the data?

• Plan: Identify the Master of Record if you have conflicting values for your data elements

Five Year Picture: A Perfect World

• Reduce platforms/complexity –- 2 database platforms

• Uniformity of all servers

• Highly trained staff—shared

• Databases are secured

• Increased dialog with business owner and better

alignment of resources to reduce risks

• Know location of your data

– Which data is regulated?

– Know what we have!

For More Information…

• DAMA www.dama.org• ITANA www.itana.org• Zachman Framework2 for Enterprise Architecture

www.zachmaninternational.com• Data Governance Institute

www.datagovernance.com